Agitating Buet students yesterday announced that they will go back to classes only after the government meets all its assurances including removal of the pro-vice chancellor and withdrawal of a case filed against them.

The foreign ministry has said that issues related to the meeting between Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and US Deputy Secretary of State William J Burns were not projected properly in a section of Bangladesh media.

Detective Branch of police arrested five drug traffickers including an employee of Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Ltd (BTCL) and recovered 2,500 bottles of phensidyl from their possession in Paltan of the capital on Thursday evening.

At least 64 people were killed and 550 injured yesterday when two quakes struck a remote and mountainous area of southwest China, toppling buildings and pushing panicked crowds into the streets, officials and observers said.

Editorial

Mohammad Rajib and Sabuj Mia witnessed the abduction of four of their friends in Savar area on August 13, one of whom had informed the parent of one of the kidnapped who subsequently lodged a case of abduction with the police on August 17. Far from launching a formal investigation, we find to our horror that the police have incarcerated the two witnesses to the crime as possible suspects in the kidnapping case on the very same day of filing the case. Although the investigating officer claimed that the whistleblowers have been taken into custody at the request of the families of those kidnapped, the parents have stated that the whistleblowers actually did them service by informing them. We are forced to ask how judicious a manner in which the police has acted here.

Despite Dhaka metropolis' favourable geographical location as a national capital to become a hub of economic opportunities in the region, its development prospects are hamstrung by poor planning and equally haphazard project implementation. Although there have been projections into the future and a master plan too (riddled with all sorts of compromises though), the lack of an overarching vision has been a major roadblock to its growth at par with other regional cities.

Mushfiqur Rahim's men posted a comfortable seven-wicket victory in their rain-interrupted first match against Barbados in the Trinidad Quadrangular T20 competition at the Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain on Thursday night.

The Airtel Rising Stars football tournament might have been completed yesterday with Khulna Division emerging champions by beating Dhaka Division-2 by a single goal but the real attraction begins today as footballers bid to fulfil their dream to visit and train at Manchester United.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic tackles Spanish bulldozer David Ferrer for a US Open final spot Saturday determined to preserve the Grand Slam stranglehold of himself, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Bangladesh's both teams, men's and women's, were leading by 2-0 games in the 10th round of the 40th Chess Olympiad in Istanbul on Friday. Men's team were leading against 109th ranked Thailand, thanks to victories by GM Niaz Murshed and GM Enamul Hossain while Nazrana Khan Eva and Sharmin Shirin Sultana made sure women's team too took a 2-0 lead against Ireland, by the time this report was field.

Siddikur Rahman put on the best performance of the day with a six-under, but that was only good enough to put him on joint 11th position, seven shots off the leader at the end of the third round of the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters.

Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer became the first Australian to win 100 international caps in the 3-0 friendly win over Lebanon on Thursday.He had one of his easier nights in the Australia goal and is targeting a third World Cup final appearance in Brazil in 2014.

Russia's Ekaterina Makarova and Brazil's Bruno Soares completed an unlikely run to the US Open mixed doubles title by beating fourth-seeded Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic and Marcin Matkowski of Poland on Thursday.

Members of the Germany squad on Thursday visited the grave of former national goalkeeper Robert Enke, nearly three years after his suicide, ahead of their World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands.

Olympique Marseille midfielder Joey Barton will serve the remaining nine games of his 12-match ban in France after joining the club on a one-year loan from Queens Park Rangers, the French league (LFP) said on Thursday.

Metropolitan

The murders took place in broad daylight. No gun or knife, and victims died swiftly of heart attack in broad daylight. The police were baffled. It took the genius of ace detective Bomkesh to discover that the assassin used a tiny poison-laden dart that was released from the bell of his bicycle. Lodging itself at the heart, the dart caused instant death.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), an elite force, has sought to form a well-equipped riverine battalion to secure mainland waters and southern coastlines as criminal gangs appeared to have gained extra strength for robbery.

It is quite a common scene on Boubazar Road on the capital's fringe that a number of auto-rickshaws are always lining on its either side. They are neither calling for any passengers nor are stuck in a traffic jam but waiting to be repaired.

Considering the remarkable development, especially on social dimensions, compared to some “richer” states of India, Bangladesh is very much in the news these days in India, reported The Hindu yesterday.

Ruling Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif yesterday demanded that the government arrests and takes punitive measures against the persons involved in the Hall-Mark scam no matter how "powerful" those persons may be.

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) yesterday held five Bangladeshis including three of a family in Khalisha Kotal border area in Kurigram and Lalakhal border of Sylhet while three Bangladeshis returned home after languishing in Indian jail for three years on Thursday afternoon.

A case was filed against eight teachers and 150 unidentified students of Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU) in Chittagong on Wednesday for allegedly vandalising the office of Department of Livestock Services (DLS) and assaulting its officials.

The turmoil-hit monsoon session of Indian parliament ended yesterday amidst disruption of proceedings by BJP which came under a sharp attack from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who accused the main opposition party of "total negation" of democracy.

Bomb attacks struck Damascus, killing five soldiers on a Friday of anti-regime protests and clashes between security forces and rebels as EU heads met to boost aid to civilians caught in Syria's conflict.

A proposed 75-percent tax on income exceeding one million euros, a centrepiece of Francois Hollande's presidential campaign earlier this year, will be "strictly" implemented, France's finance minister told AFP yesterday.

Following Team Anna's dissolution, anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Thursday announced a new action plan, which includes appealing people to vote for the “right” candidates, instead of forming a political party.

A Pakistani judge yesterday granted bail to a Christian girl who has spent three weeks in jail after she was arrested for alleged blasphemy, in a landmark decision for a case that has sparked an international outcry.

Iran will hold presidential elections on June 14 next year, the Interior Ministry said yesterday, the first such vote since a violent crackdown on protests over Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election in 2009.

Armed raiders killed 12 villagers and set fire to houses in Kenya's Coastal region, police and the Red Cross said yesterday, in a revenge attack that is part of a long-running dispute over grazing land and water.

In honour of the two great poets -- Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam, Tarunyer Ucchash, a group for elocutionists in the port city, organised a cultural programme titled “Robir Alo Droher Bina” at the Shilpakala Academy here on Thursday evening.

The Sufi philosophy of acceptance, humility and simplicity has always fascinated 28-year-old photographer Shivani Dass. What better medium to capture the essence of the mystical tradition than her camera? Over a period of seven months this year, after extensive research, reading and many hours at Nizamuddin Dargah in Delhi, armed with her camera Shivani traversed nine Sufi shrines in India, among them the famous Dargah Hazrath Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty in Ajmer Sharif, Mir Datar Dargah, Unjha Gujarat, Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya in New Delhi and Hazrath Nagore Sharif Dargah in Tamil Nadu.

Göteborg International Film Festival (GIFF) has awarded young filmmaker Kamar Ahmad Simon for his feature script “Shankhodhoni” (Silence of the Seashell). Simon and his colleague, producer Sara Afreen, are participating in the European Producers Workshop with the script as well.

‘Open', an international exhibition of sculptures and installations, is celebrating its 15th edition, from August 30 to September 30, at Venice Lido and on the island of San Servolo, says a press release.

OP-ED

The Daily Star reported that the current parliamentary session may witness a heated discussion on a recent High Court verdict delivered in response to the Speaker's dubbing the comments of an HC judge as a violation of the constitution. To put things in perspective, Speaker Abdul Hamid said in Parliament, on June 18, that the HC judge had violated the constitution by making "derogatory remarks" about the Jatiya Sangsad and its Speaker.

Why has Limon become such a well known face in the media? Why are so many people lining up from Jhalakathi to Dhaka in his defense? The answer is simple: to ensure that the state does not default on its obligation to protect a citizen's right to life, that security forces do not have impunity for lawless law enforcement.

With corruption, unaccountability, opacity, drift and paralysis in governance in recent times, the need for a vibrant parliament with untainted MPs has become most apparent. In a democratic set up, parliament members are the driving force in putting the wheels of development in motion. As the country sinks deeper into monetary scandals involving banks, stock market and shady business deals, pessimism and gloom descend.

He was an institution unto himself. A teacher who knew he was a teacher, who had the vision to read and reach his students, to meet their needs, to enrich their mental faculties, to touch their hearts. He was Professor Mohammad Noman.

Environment

Though Bangladesh is prominently a plain land, its Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Bandarban and Sylhet have hilly areas with forests and rich biodiversity. These areas are full of natural resources fulfilling needs of the people and other living species.

The new climate regime will lead to commitments only for developing countries. The reason for this is that the United States, which did not ratify the legally binding commitments contained in the Kyoto Protocol, continues to insist on a system in which nationally determined goals for reducing emissions will be monitored globally.

The International Water Week has just been observed (Aug 24-30) at the Swedish capital Stockholm and by concerned organisations elsewhere with a call for "More Food in Each Drop of Water" and a slogan seeking more "Water in Urbanised World". More than two thousand water specialists/activists from about two hundred countries attended the Stockholm meet representatives from Bangladesh including a researcher of DORP also participated. It may be mentioned that DORP (Development Organisation of the Rural Poor), an NGO, has been working on water for many years, specially with Bangladesh WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Alliance. WASH programme presently covers six sub-districts namely, Barguna sadar, Fakirhat, Ramganj, Kuliarchar, Bhuapur and Sirajganj sadar, funded by a Dutch NGO, Simavi.

Literature

This write-up is the first of a two-part article Star Literature means to carry for its readers. It first appeared in 'East Pakistan Review: An Anthology', published in Karachi in 1958.----Literary Editor

“I might be the only person on the face of the earth that knows you're the greatest woman on earth. I might be the only one who appreciates how amazing you are in every single thing that you do and in every single thought that you have, and how you say what you mean, and how you almost always mean something that's all about being straight and good. I think most people miss that about you, and I watch them, wondering how they can watch you bring their food, and clear their tables and never get that they just met the greatest woman alive. And the fact that I get it makes me feel good, about me.”

In the continuity of life, the pendulum keeps on moving from side to side to keep its balance. Nevertheless, at some point it tends to tilt toward one end or the other, awakening one to the reality all around. Time changes, circumstances change, attitudes, beliefs, all change. In other words, a new and rather different atmosphere is created, one that demands if not adjustment but at least a recognition of those changes. To some it is a social upheaval, to others it in a normal phase of transition that takes place in any society. Perception varies from person to person. So do our fascination, preferences, acceptance and rejection of the same. Under the circumstances, two determinants that run across our whole life play their roles oftentimes to our liking, oftentimes to our disapproval. These we can reasonably label as losses and gains in our life. An enormous number of them can very easily be put down on a list, evoking a number of reactions like surprise, laughter, anger, sorrow, wistfulness, etc., in the process raising innumerable questions.

Star Health

Physical therapists (known as physiotherapists in Bangladesh) are experts in developing and maintaining people’s ability to move and function throughout their lives. With an advanced understanding of how the body moves and what keeps it from moving well, they treat and prevent many problems caused by pain, illness, disability, disease, sport, work related injuries, ageing, inactivity and so on.

Silicosis is an uncommon disease in our country. But it has been reported recently that over the last few months eighteen people have died and more then hundreds have been suffering from silicosis in Patgram Upazila, Lalmonirhat. These affected people are engaged for breaking stones for years together. Because of continuous inhalation of silica particle in their work environment, they became ill.

Eczema, also called contact dermatitis, can occur when the skin touches a substance that triggers an allergic reaction. Though actual substances vary by person, common triggers include fragrances used in perfumes or chemicals used in sunscreens.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) is an umbrella term for lung diseases that make it difficult to breathe, have symptoms like chronic cough. The U.S. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute offers these suggestions to help keep COPD under control:

Kids hospitalised with the flu are more likely to need intensive care and a longer stay if they have been exposed to second-hand smoke at home, a small new study published in The Journal of Paediatrics finds.

You can now find us on the social network websites by following twitter.com/StarHealthBd (@StarHealthBd) and liking our page facebook.com/StarHealthBd. The news links will be available on these social network sites; alongside, they will help us for better interaction with you. You can leave your comments, suggestions and queries to Star Health through facebook and twitter. We welcome and regard your valuable support in our journey.

Strategic Issues

AS hosts of the 16th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, NAM, in Tehran, Iranian officials tried to advance their agenda. Top of their list was to secure NAM's endorsement of their right to peaceful nuclear energy. Next was to get NAM to condemn foreign armed interference in Syria, a strategic ally of Iran since the Islamic revolution of 1979. The summit's final communiqué supported Iran's stance on the nuclear issue. But it made no mention of backing for the beleaguered regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Holding the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vladivostok will give Russia a chance to remind the world that two-thirds of its vast territory is in Asia and that it has a longer stretch of the Pacific coastline than any other country. After the break-up of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, Russia has all but vanished from the Asia-Pacific horizon.

Talk about North Korea's satellivte launch in April 2012 is now being followed by a slew of speculations about political change and possible economic reforms on the horizon. What has prompted these speculations? More importantly, could there be any truth to them or are they, as is usually the case of North Korea, a misguided shot in the dark?

Star Books Review

Koto Janapad Koto Itihash is the third, though chronologically the first of the three in terms of publication, historical travelogue written by M. Sakhawat Hussain that I am reviewing. Like the other two, it deals primarily with Indian history, concentrating a good deal on the Mughal period. Unlike them, however, it is not as carefully written, and is marred by a number of anomalies and confusing information. Also different is that the author devotes at least as much attention on the Indian Election Commission and the 2009 Indian elections (in the conduct of which he was an observer), the Rajputs, the Sufi saints, and the Delhi Sultanate as to the Mughals, in this case primarily on Humayun, Akbar, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb. Notwithstanding the shortcomings, Hussain, a self-avowed avid history buff, has composed an absorbing account that moves seamlessly along a string of different topics. As with the other books, he has the sporadic profound observations and comments, which cogently reflect the state of politics and society in Bangladesh.

William B. Milam served as America's top diplomat in Bangladesh and Pakistan at points of critical and crucial significance for the two countries. You can call that a most opportune happening or a mere coincidence. But the fact that the United States government thought it proper to have Milam serve in countries which once were linked through politics, indeed were a single state, is a rarity. And rare too is something else: Milam witnessed the fall of General Ershad in late 1990 and the beginning of a move back toward democracy; and then, in October 1999, as US ambassador to Islamabad and away in California, he heard about the coup that brough General Pervez Musharraf to power in Pakistan. And over the years since then, Milam has clearly made it his preoccupation to study politics in the two countries, which again would be regarded as analyses of the similarities that have characterized their political landscapes. Milam's subtitle, Flirting With Failure in South Asia, is a pointer to the questions he has before him.

A captivating book from the very first page, Talking About Jane Austen in Baghdad not only has an enticing title, but also a very appealing sub-title, "The True Story of An Unlikely Friendship". Who doesn't like to read about friendships that actually exist/existed, especially unlikely ones?